Does HOW (Not What) You Eat Influence Liver Health?

There's no denying that what you choose to eat plays an important role in your liver health.

It's equally true that different people have significantly different preferences and orientations around food, which means there are many different ways to create a nutrition strategy that might be considered "fatty liver friendly".

What we eat isn't the only thing that matters though - HOW we eat it does too.

The goal of today's article is to help you understand why this is, why it matters for liver health and what you can do about it.

Defining the "how"

When I speak about "how" you eat, what I'm really talking about is a few key factors.

• How thoroughly you chew each mouthful
• How much time you take to eat your meals
• The order in which you eat parts of your meal
• Whether or not you are distracted while eating

Let's explore why each of these factors is relevant to both your liver and general health.

Factor #1: Total chews

Feeling full after a meal helps to reduce the risk you experience unexpected and undesired hunger cravings during times of the day where you may not have access to the types of food you want to eat.

A growing body of scientific evidence suggests that chewing each mouthful of food we eat more thoroughly ( think 40 chews vs 15 chews) leads to more satiation after meals - an effect that might be explained by an increased release of gut hormones known to contribute to a feeling of fullness.¹

Factor #2: Speed of eating

I always tell my clients to try to avoid eating a meal in 5 minutes that they know deep down should probably take closer to 25.

I know that it isn't always possible, but science tells us it matters.

Building on the previous section, it is no surprise that eating a meal over a longer period (think 5 minutes vs 30 minutes) leads to a more optimal response of satiety hormones. But that's not all.

It is possible that fast eaters are at higher risk of insulin resistance.³

This is a big concern for people living with fatty liver disease because insulin resistance is a big driver of liver fat accumulation and inflammation over time.

Factor #3: The order of your meal

Now this is where it gets interesting.

Very often the traditional vision for a balanced meal includes a protein, a vegetable and a starch (carbohydrate).

A recently published study demonstrated that eating the vegetable and protein portion of a mixed meal before the starch leads to a smaller increase in post-meal blood sugar & insulin levels as well as a greater feeling of fullness.⁴

For individuals who are concerned about moderating their post-meal blood sugar response and feeling as satiated as possible, this is a reasonable strategy to try.

And if you must eat quickly now and then, a fascinating study out of the Nutrients Journal found that eating vegetables first - even if you eat quickly - will still help lower your post meal blood sugar response.⁵

Factor #4: Distracted eating

It goes without saying that being heavily distracted during meal time makes it hard to implement the guidance above, especially focusing on chewing thoroughly.

A fascinating study out of the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition found that playing a computer game while eating lunch led to less feelings of fullness and greater afternoon snacking.⁶

Obviously being heavily distracted during meal time is not ideal and this study underlines a big reason why.

Final thoughts

How you eat, as described in today's article, has a meaningful influence on your health in both the short and long-term.

The behaviors and tips provided here hopefully feel accessible and are certainly applicable for almost everyone no matter what food choices they are making.